Bienvenidos….Welcome to the Rain Forest—can’t say the brochure did not warn you. It will probably rain a little while you are here, but don’t let that stop you. Manuel Antonio National Park is in full bloom which attracts frogs, hummingbirds, and butterflies. It is also baby season here in the jungle so look closely as a lot of monkeys and sloths are carrying babies on their backs. The Humpback whales and their calves are still here so get to Marina Pez Vela for many options to view them, as well as world class sport fishing. The Marina will also be hosting the first Fishing Tournament of the season open to all ages. The Dorado Open will be held Nov 17 so get out and enjoy all the festivities. Don’t forget the 7th Annual Quepos Open Tennis Tournament being held November 3-4 with finals on Novemember 10-11 at the Tennis Club Quepos. Our rivers are also flowing so check out Quepoa Expeditions or Tucanes Tours for some thrilling rafting.

We want to wish the Costa Rica Rafting Team good luck and success in the World Rafting Championships being held in Argentina this November 4-10th. “Viva Costa Rica”

Our many fine restaurants are serving up your favorite culinary delights. It is a good idea to call ahead this time of year. We would like to wish everyone a wonderful and relaxing Thanksgiving. La Colina will be hosting their annual Turkey dinner.

Toys for tots will have their collection boxes around the area. so let us help the children by dropping an unwrapped gift to help brighten someone’s holiday… Santa Clause can always use our support.

Thanks to Jack Ewing for the amazing Jaguar cover photo.

We would like to welcome our new advertisers this month, Buena Vista Beach Villas & Uvita Law Firm.

We hope you enjoy our magazine and it helps guide you through this enchanting paradise we call home. You can always follow and share us here or on Facebook. We appreciate and welcome your comments.

Welcome to our Dorado special edition of That’s Fishin! Dorado, Mahi Mahi, Dolphin Fish, three names but yes guys, it really is just one type of fish! No matter what you choose to call it, this magical fish has been capturing the attention of Sports Fishing enthusiasts around the world for a long long time. In fact, Costa Rica is home to the International Game Fishing Association (IGFA) World Record Dorado, a huge fish measuring 69.5 inches and tipping the scales to 87lbs! The fish was caught in the Papagayo area of Guanacaste in northern Costa Rica back in September 1976! So we are no strangers to large Dorado here in Costa Rica and in fact in recent months there have been some pretty special Dorado landed by the Quepos fleet.

In July 2018 a 70lb Dorado was caught aboard the 31’ GOOD DAY by Charlie Rogers from ‘Against the Grain Charters’ (check them out!) in Key Largo Florida, whilst vacationing in Costa Rica. This was the largest Dorado caught aboard GOOD DAY for some years. Just 2 weeks later on August 8th, Jordan Gilchrist from Texas caught another HUGE Bull (male) Dorado measuring 65 inches which also tipped the scales to 70lbs! Jordan had also caught a 50lb Cow (female) Dorado the day earlier! These are just huge fish by Dorado standards. Many of the Quepos captains have caught 50lb plus Dorado in recent weeks which is just fantastic fishing.

1. Depression

2. Destruction of Forests

3. Diseases

Sloths may host different parasites, viruses, and infections that can pass to humans with one touch!

4. Depletion

The wild sloth population suffers with each sloth taken from the wild.

5. Death

Many captive sloths die due to the stress of transport and an improper diet.

Don’t Be Selfi(e)sh … #SayNOtoSlothSelfies

The Sloth Institute (TSI)’s mission is to enhance the welfare and conservation of sloths through research and education. TSI is located in Manuel Antonio, Costa Rica. For more information please email info@theslothinstitute.org.

If you see a sloth who needs help: ALL or WHATSAPP +506 87756847/87SLOTHS.

Soothing sounds, beautiful views, diverse wildlife, and only a week to take it all in? Costa Rica is unlike any place I’ve ever been. Upon my arrival, my mind was racing with ideas of how I was going to get the very most out of my trip. As an Environmental Studies Major at University of California Santa Cruz, I’m typically curious about different ecosystems and eager to interact with wildlife wherever I am in the world. The two-hour drive from San Jose Airport gave me plenty of time to take in the scenery of the mountainous jungle and ask my driver Oscar any and all questions I had about Costa Rica. I learned everything from the economic/environmental effects of Costa Rica’s biggest industry (Palm Oil) to what species of tree leaves I should use to make henna-like face paint (Teak).

The electronic invoice will be mandatory for all taxpayers in November 2018. This is established by a resolution of Costa Rican Treasury (Ministerio de Hacienda). The electronic invoice is automatically send to Ministerio de Hacienda and to your email, so every electronic invoice will contain a PDF document and XML file that is used for the computers to read the information.

All individuals or companies that have a card ending in 1, 2, or 3 are required to submit electronic invoices as of September 1, those that end in 4, 5, and 6 enter on October 1, and 7, 8, 9, and 0 begin on November 1.

The Red-Lored Parrot is one of 17 species of parrots and parakeets found in Costa Rica. They are commonly seen from eastern Mexico and down south through Central America to Ecuador.

Red-Lored Parrots are distinguished by the bright red color on the surface on each side of its head between the eye and the upper base of the beak, known as the “lore”. You will almost always hear them before seeing them as they are very loud.

From afar they appear to be mostly green but upon closer inspection you can see beautiful lilac blue colored feathers on top and on the back of their heads. Their wings show red, yellow, black, and white while their tail feathers have shades of yellow, blue, & green.

They are monogomous for life and can be seen traveling in pairs or as part of a large flock. Red-Lored Parrots, like other parrots, are considered to be highly intelligent and can also live up to 75 years!

A wonderful and inspiring young man told me recently that MUSIC had saved his life—and that he could not live without hearing and playing classical music. Wow. I thought that was quite a statement to make, especially once I learned a bit about his circumstances and how he has gotten to this realization and personal truth. His name is Gary Sancho Esquivel and I want to tell you folks about him, ‘cause he is going places!! Hopefully to Utah!! Yep—that’s what I said—Utah!

Gary grew up as the youngest of 6 kids, and though his father was an elementary school teacher everyone else was expected to work on the family farm near San Vito, a nice town of about 14,000 people in the pretty foothills of the Talamanca mountain range. Colonization of this area (ignoring the indigenous people already there), was organized by the Costa Rican government in 1952 with the goal of populating the area with foreign settlers, many of whom came over from Italy. The town is about 170 miles southeast of San Jose, close to the Panama border, and the people there mainly raise coffee and other crops, or cattle. A nice enough area, but not exactly full of academic or musical opportunities.

Riding along the edge of the forest on horseback I caught a whiff of something rotten, and a moment later a big, beautiful, black and white bird with a multicolored head came into view. It was pecking away at the stinking carcass of a dead opossum. There was a bunch of black vultures hopping around nearby mostly just watching, but occasionally darting forward and snatching a morsel of the decomposing flesh and quickly withdrawing. All kept their distance from the magnificent creature which calmly ate its fill paying little attention to the others.

MES DE LA PATRIA!!!
Like any good holiday in Costa Rica, and for some of us like our birthdays, September 15th is not about just a one day celebration but a MONTH LONG party for this amazing country we call home! That’s right, Faroles, Cimarronas, flags and patriotism is going to be the theme all month, but September has some other news in store for our Marina Pez Vela family and our community at large and we look forward to seeing the local community here at the marina soon.
Independence Day Activities
TYPICAL DANCE PRESENTATIONS BY SOME OF OUR LOCAL SCHOOLS
September 13
The events will start at 4pm and will feature several of our local escuelas doing presentations of typical Costa Rican Dance, folklore and dress. For many expats and tourist, who come to Costa Rica for its iconic beauty, the opportunity to learn a bit about the history, culture and pride which each Costa Rican has for this amazing nation is a WONDERFUL experience. There is something so special to see the families reliving the passing on the Independence Day traditions, lore, music and dance and do not miss this wonderful day to share and integrate with our international and local community at the Marina.Read More…

I’ve been mute in New York City. Only for two days though. I was visiting in order to run a marathon and fortunately I was with a friend who was able to communicate, but I still felt strange, different. It was something I could do nothing about you see, for I had lost my voice due to a throat illness. I could not talk, I could not eat, and I was barely able to drink fluids. In a very short time I went from being an ex-pat massage/surf guy living in a Costa Rican rain forest, to a speechless Brooklyn bound tourist. How surreal. Without the help of my friend I would have been in a serious predicament. Almost overnight I had become something I had always feared. A man unable to be himself.Read More…

I don’t know the exact date Dos Locos first opened in downtown Quepos, but the perfect location and atmosphere made it popular beyond belief—especially with gringos living in the area and visiting tourists. Dos Locos became the meeting place in Quepos…right in the middle of downtown and across from the bus station—and a place where you could enjoy some great food and refreshing libations. Possibly the main reason for its popularity was that lovely lady, Vera Jones who could almost always be seen sitting at the bar in the far right corner. She waved at folks in the buses as they were coming into town and she welcomed everyone with a big beautiful smile!

She was also the person in the know…having the most information about everything going on and all the different places and activities in the area during a time when almost no information was available. And even after the advent of the internet, people would still go to her for information. She no doubt was very instrumental in helping me create the English language guide to the area, Quepolandia which just celebrated a 20 year anniversary in July.

While I’m happy that Vera will now have lots of free time for travel, tennis, family and friends’ visits, and many new adventures, I’m deeply saddened that there will no longer be that special place to meet old friends, make new friends, hear great local music and entertainment, eat some delicious Mexican food, have an ice cold beer, margarita or other drink and just enjoy the fellowship at the best meeting place in town… (and I would be remiss if I didn’t also mention, the best kitchen and wait staff). Adios Dos Locos…thanks for the wonderful memories that will be cherished forever!Ana Lyons

Farewell Dos Locos—my “Cheers” bar where everyone knows your name, where friends became family. So many great times full of laughter, magical music moments, awesome Halloween parties and more…. too many times when we came together in great sadness at the loss of our friends. Always seeing Vera happy to welcome newcomers and tourists (wave at the bus as it passes!) alike and to offer help when needed. I will truly miss our chats at that bar but time moves on and change is always just a step behind so here’s to the new future! Enjoy yourself and keep hitting that tennis ball—no worries as I’ll still catch up with you to chat! Thanks for the memories dear friend.Pat Cheek

Dos Locos—That cute little bar/restaurant on the corner in Quepos was our first and only hang out, for over 17 years. It was always the place to go. Friendly faces, Vera at her corner of the bar, large portioned plates, always cold beer, and the best location in town for people watching was the obvious draw. We met people, made great friends, played bridge on Tuesdays, celebrated holidays, and in time said too many goodbyes at memorials generously hosted by Vera and the girls.

I realized in time that the magic of Dos Locos was Vera. She fostered all of us as a new kind of family, building a community center that served food, beer, fun and interesting conversation.

Dos Locos was the heartbeat of Quepos. A hangout for fun loving people, without judgement.All kinds of characters thrived in Dos Locos’ shade.

DL was also the best musical haunt around. That was no secret, or accident. Wednesday’s with Ben and the Howlers were always a rock’n’roll circus, and who doesn’t love a circus? Saturday’s with Lance, Letty, Jim and Niven, and so many others that came to be the Pura Vida Social Club was a family Saturday afternoon festival. Robbie, Ralph Simms, Ralph McDonald, Nancy, Jimmy C, Johnny Bench, Javier, Alvin, Terry, the player list goes on and on.

I feel like part of the family when I walk through those doors. It’s hard to imagine Quepos without Dos Locos, the heartbeat of Quepos. Love and miss you already.Jack Wozniak

Bienvenidos… Welcome to the rain forest, green season has arrived. So enjoy the peace of it and the lushness it provides. Our mornings are normally beautiful and the rain comes later in the day so get moving early and maybe have an afternoon nap ( guilt free in the rain). Our restaurants and tour companies are in full swing to make your stay here unforgettable and, without the crowds, much more enjoyable. Marina Pez Vela offers outstanding restaurants and tours, great shopping, and most important this time of year—underground parking and shuttle service. We recommend calling ahead to our fine restaurants beforehand because some will be closing briefly for a quick holiday for themselves and their staff. Being from the US I always enjoy this time of year. I look forward to the start of the NFL season. Even more so this year…being from Philly. Catch all the games at Sancho’s or Jolly Roger on the Hill or Double Hook at the marina.

Costa Rica celebrates their 196th year of Independence on September 15th. Quepos will be having its annual parade with children in traditional dress, floats, and festive marching bands. So if you are in the area come celebrate with a country that truly appreciates their Independence…. Viva Costa Rica!!!

October 31 is Halloween so start thinking of a costume and get ready for fright night in the jungle. Marina Pez Vela will be having their Halloween Bash complete with trick or treating for the kids and haunted house, as well as many bars and restaurants in the area. Always a great time.

We would like to thank Paul Gerace for another spectacular cover. We welcome our new advertisers this month Vista Cola Ballena and SuperMarket Pura Vida.

September/ October is a double month issue so we will be back to guide you in November. We hope you enjoy our magazine and it helps guide you through this enchanting paradise we call home. You can always follow and share us here or on Facebook. We appreciate and welcome your comments.

Once upon a time there was a Bribri Indian chief named Pabru Presberi who was master of some big, exceptionally beautiful birds called “Pa”. Everywhere the chief went large groups of Pa flocked around him. Some were red and others green, and all were covered with stunning, bright colored plumage. One day some strange men with beards from a far-away place called Spain arrived on the shores of Costa Rica. Awed by the beauty of the Pa the Spaniards killed them for their feathers which they took to their homeland as gifts for the royalty. The word “la” in Spanish means “the” in English, so they referred to the birds as “la pa” which was later shortened to “lapa”. As time went on there were less and less lapas. The Spaniards had killed all but the large flock that followed chief Pabru everywhere he went. Eventually the chief led a revolution against the Spaniards, so they captured him and took him to Cartago where he was imprisoned. The lapas followed. Eventually the Spaniards executed the chief and the red lapas flew away to the Pacific coast and the green lapas to the Caribbean coast. To this day that is where they reside.

Of course, in English, the lapa roja (Ara macao) is the scarlet macaw, and the lapa verde (Ara ambigua) is the great green macaw. Their numbers have diminished drastically over the years to the point that the great green macaw is now listed on the IUCN red list as endangered. The scarlet macaws, which were once seen in large colorful flocks up and down the entire Pacific coast, have also diminished, but not to the extent of their green cousins. It is estimated that today there are about 600 scarlet macaws in the Osa Peninsula and 400 in Carara National Park. They disappeared from the area between Manuel Antonio and Uvita in the 1960s.

I feel sorry for people who have never washed their clothes in a sink or shower. To me that is a sign that you have never been on the road long enough. There is a sense of shared communion with wanderers in regards to week long jet lag, 24 hours of sitting on planes, of tramping around the world for the sake of it, because it is here to explore. In my thirty years of traveling I have never regretted a trip, nor have I ever been to a “resort.” Today it is easier, safer, and cheaper to go have an adventure. We can travel to get out of our comfort zones and let the days on the road simply unfold. I will go as far to say that my aspirations while moving about is to unlearn, I believe contrasts are the story of the world. The more challenges I can experience the better of a human I can be. My eyes can always see more, my soul can grow infinitely if I push it to do so. Stagnation has always been my enemy and when I travel I change, I grow.Read More…